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Archive for ‘Programs’

November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Whether you’re trying to write a novel in one month, finish your first short story, or craft a few good poems, JCPL would like to support your writing efforts by offering great programs and a special space just for writers. Here’s what we have in store for writers in November:

Join our expert panelists of poets, writers, and editors as they share their own publishing experiences; provide tips for submitting your work to magazines, journals, editors, and agents; and much more.

Panelists will include:

Sarah Combs, author of the forthcoming young adult novel Breakfast Served Anytime

Come share what you’ve written during National Novel Writing Month! Novelists, short story writers, poets, and creative nonfiction writers are all welcome to read a brief selection of their work.
Free. Please register.

Students will learn how to create, save, edit, and print a spreadsheet using Microsoft Excel. During the class students will use Microsoft Excel to create a sample budget that utilizes basic formulas to add, subtract, multiply and divide. If time allows, students can obtain assistance in constructing their own personal budget using Microsoft Excel. Register here.

Students will learn how to create, save, edit, and print a presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint. During the class, students will use Microsoft PowerPoint to create slides that can be used in a presentation. If time allows, students can obtain assistance in constructing their own PowerPoint presentation. Register here.

February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate the achievements of African Americans and remember the important people and events in African American history. It’s also a great time to remember your African American family history. A program at the Jessamine County Historical Society can help you learn how to overcome the challenges of researching African American genealogy.

Can’t make it? (Maybe because you’re planning to attend the Extreme “Loud-brary” Experience here at JCPL?) We have some resources that might help you with your search, including the book, A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your African-American Ancestors : How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage (929.1072073 SMIT) and Henry Louis Gates’s excellent PBS series African American Lives (DVD 973.0496073 AFRI). On Wednesday, March 6, we’ll also be conducting a Genealogy 101 workshop on how to use Ancestry Library Edition. Ancestry Library Edition provides many resources to help you find your African American ancestors, from the core census and vital records collections to the more specialized Freedmen’s Bank Records.

From recipes to crafts to cozy fireside reads, JCPL has got your holiday reading needs covered! To find out more, register for next Thursday’s Lunch and Learn, or check out the presentation below for a preview! (To open the presentation in a larger window, click the link below it.)

Here at JCPL, one staff member–I won’t mention any names–is already finished with her Christmas shopping.

And then there are the rest of us.

Personally, I still need a little more warm-up time. I’m hoping that leading the library’s next Lunch and Learn, the Shop Smarter Workshop on November 15, will help. We’ll explore the best sources to find product reviews, buying guides, and more. For example, you probably know that the library subscribes to the paper version of Consumer Reports, but did you know that you can now download it to your computer or mobile device from Zinio? Or that you can search the full-text of Consumer Reports from 1992 on in one of our databases? To find out how, register today or stop by the Information Desk.

See below for a list of shopping related books on everything from cutting your grocery bills to the science of shopping to how to avoid shopping altogether.

Although I bookmark online recipes using Diigo, I have an overflowing and unorganized box of paper recipes at home. I hoped teaching September’s Lunch and Learn topic, Organizing Your Recipes Online, would help me get them in order.

Alas, there are no free websites that will magically digitize and upload your paper recipes for you. There are certainly ways to do it yourself–my favorite is to photograph them with an iPad and upload them to Evernote or Springpad. Since that takes time, I will have to save it for a rainy day.

In the meantime, see below for my two favorite recipe-saving websites, or click here for a handy chart of all the sites we discussed.

One tsp. is one of my favorite online recipe keepers because of its simplicity and clean design. This ad-free site lets you save 150 recipes for free. After that, the site charges a very reasonable $5.00 a year for unlimited recipes.

One tsp.’s web clipper makes it easy to save recipes from many popular websites–such as Betty Crocker, The Pioneer Woman, and the Food Network–with one click. You can copy and paste recipes from unsupported sites or type in your personal recipes. Click the “Add to my shopping list” button, and One tsp. will automatically create a shopping list for you based on the recipe ingredients. Print out the list, or simply view it on your mobile phone.

Although Say Mmm does not have a web clipper, it’s easy to cut and paste recipes from other sites into Say Mmm. A free account allows you to add unlimited recipes, search or browse others’ recipes, create smart grocery lists organized by aisle, and plan your meals. Say Mmm also has a Facebook app, and you can use it with Evernote to enhance your recipes and grocery lists.

All these extra features can make Say Mmm a little more difficult to navigate than One tsp., but they may be worth the trouble if you’re someone who really likes to plan.

If you weren’t able to come to last week’s genealogy program, the above presentation summarizes the Jessamine County genealogy resources available here at JCPL. (Click on the link above to view the presentation in a larger format). We’ve also gathered information about library and Internet resources for genealogy research at this link: http://tinyurl.com/JCPLGenealogy.

Manga (MAHN-ga) : noun – a Japanese style of comic art, usually in the form of illustrated novel

For teens in 6th-12th grades who love animé and manga, this is the club for you! We meet on the second Thursday of each month to screen animé, discuss print and animated formats, and explore Japanese culture. We always have authentic Japanese snacks and drinks during meetings as well.

In September, we’ll be screening the feature animé film Kiki’s Delivery Service. This is the fantasy story of a young girl with magic powers, named Kiki who is now thirteen years old. But she is still a little naive and plenty headstrong, but also resourceful, imaginative, and determined. With her trusty wisp of a talking cat named Jiji by her side she’s ready to take on the world, or at least try to fit in to her new community. Thursday, September 13, from 4:30-6:30 PM

In October, we will host manga artist Stephen Moore from the Living Arts and Science Center in Lexington, KY. Mr. Moore will teach manga drawing techniques to all attendees. We will also screen episodes from the animé television series Fairy Tail. In the series, a group of young magicians in the fantasy kingdom of Fiore band together to seek their fortunes. Thursday, October 11, from 4:30 – 6:30 PM

In November, we will have fun making candy sushi! We will also be screening episodes from the animé television series One Piece. This comedy series features Monkey D. Luffy, who travels toward the Grand Line in search of One Piece, the greatest treasure in the world, in order to be the greatest pirate in the world. Thursday, November 8, from 4:30 – 6:30 PM

In December, we’ll be screening the feature film The Secret World of Arietty. Based on the classic book series The Borrowers by Mary Norton, this film tells the story of the Clock family, who are four-inch-tall people who live anonymously in another family’s residence, borrowing simple items to make their home. Life changes for the Clocks when their daughter, Arrietty, is discovered. Thursday, December 13, from 4:30 – 6:30 PM

At each meeting, we will also discuss manga books, have drawing activities and contests, and more! If you are interested in reading manga titles, check out our teen manga collection. located at the end of Teen Nonfiction shelves. Click on titles below for more information from our catalog:

While the Internet has made researching your family tree much easier, some information can only be found on paper or microfilm. If your family is from Jessamine County, you’re in luck–there are many research tools available to you right here in your own county.

Books

In this Thursday’s Lunch and Learn, we’ll explore all of JCPL’s language learning resources as well as several free websites. There’s still room in this program, which you can register for here. In the meantime, here is a sneak preview of some of the resources we’ll be learning about.

Transparent Language Online with BYKI

Transparent Language Online offers lessons in more than 80 different languages. This service–which usually costs individuals $149 for six months or $199 for a year–is free with your JCPL library card. Transparent Language Online was originally developed for the Department of Defense and focuses on building your vocabulary. The Essentials Courses provide a simple, linear learning progression designed around everyday situations such as greetings, organizing your trip, and eating out. If you’re short on time, you can also try the BYKI Quick Start courses; these brief lessons will help you build your vocabulary.

To get started, stop by the Information Desk to create your free account. Then you’ll be free to use Transparent Language Online at the library, at home, or on the go with the mobile app.

Already have an account? Click here to go directly to Transparent Language Online.

Pimsleur Method

The Pimsleur Method is an audio-based language learning program that helps you learn a language by hearing it in everyday situations. JCPL owns several of the Pimsleur short courses for beginning language learners. Search “Pimsleur” in the library catalog to find out which books on CD or cassette are available.

Open Culture

OpenCulture.com is a website devoted to free online learning. The website’s language learning page features lessons in 40 languages. This comprehensive list of links includes free language learning podcasts, videos, and websites.